In high school, summer vacation meant freedom and hanging out with friends. We dreaded going back to school. Now, as college students, it seems like we want summer to speed by just so we can see our friends again and have our freedom back.

Okay, I know it kind of sucks going home for the summer. Say farewell to your freedom and hello to curfews! Say goodbye to hanging out with friends from down the hall because now they're a state or more away.

While it's easy to fall into the woe is me mentality and focus on the negative parts of being home for the summer, it's important to keep the wonderful things in mind!

1. Home-cooked meals.
If you miss campus dining hall food, I am seriously judging your taste buds. Your parents are bound to cook the delicious dinners that you missed, and you better enjoy the home-cooked meals filled with love and flavor while you can. Even if neither of your parents are the best cooks, you now have access to your kitchen at home where the appliances work and aren’t being shared with dozens of other hungry college students.

2. Your pets.
Nothing beats waking up to your furry friend each morning. Didn't you miss having your cat or dog sleep at the foot of your bed? You can't cuddle with pets while you're at college, unless you want to snuggle with a dorm-approved goldfish. Plus, your pets definitely missed you! Whenever being home is overwhelming, just cuddle with your dog. Or you can borrow a friend’s dog if you need some puppy love but don’t have a pet of your own.

3. Friends from home.
Staying in touch while being miles away from someone the majority of the school year is incredibly difficult. Now, you finally have time to catch up and swap college stories with your friends that you haven't seen. Enjoy your time with home friends for as long as possible, summer will fly by, and you’ll go back to missing them soon.

4. No midterms or finals.
As much as I would love to say that there is no work, I know that's a total lie. If you're a college student, you probably have some kind of work to do whether it's a summer job or internship. You do not, however, have to cram for midterms and final exams or study for hours in the library. You don’t need to inject coffee into your veins and fall asleep with your face in a textbook. At least, not yet.

5. A break from the social scene.
This is something that seems like a negative, especially for those of us who are a huge fan of people and socializing, but let me spin it as a positive. Constantly socializing and being surrounded by friends and peers can be overwhelming and require a lot of effort. Now that you're home, you can take the time for some R&R without worrying about missing out on what everyone on campus is doing. This break also means you and your friends will have so much to tell each other when you get back to campus ... even if the only thing you have to tell is that you finished every season of "Orange is the New Black" in three days.

6. Free time for some fun.
Remember how you wanted to start a blog, but then realized you had five papers to write? Or how you planned to run a 5K then realized you had no time to train in between classes? Well, now is the time to start all of the hobbies and projects you didn't have time for when you were swamped with schoolwork and classes. You can also start a new hobby like painting or reading books. When was the last time you read a book just for fun? Think about it.

7. Hitting your favorite local spots.
The bakery down the street with the BEST bagels is now easily accessible. Your favorite local pizza place is just a phone call away. Once again, enjoy the delicious food before you get back to college where you either have to cook for yourself or endure dining hall food.

8. Your family.
I get it, your family can drive you nuts. From your parents giving you lectures to your siblings borrowing your things without permission, it's easy to lose your mind. You will absolutely be annoyed by them at some point (or a lot of points), but you have time to spend together that you haven't had in a while! Now that you’re in college, you don’t see your family often. Yeah, you’re (kind of) an adult now, but family is always important. Remember that they missed you, and deep down, you missed them, too.

So yeah, it's okay to miss college. I mean, college is your home away from home. Who hasn't said they were going home, but actually meant they were headed back to campus? Just don't forget to enjoy your time at home, because in a few weeks, you'll be back to college and missing home again.